"There it is for you! If some serious disaster happens (which is quite
possible), what a comfort it will be to remember that it was all my
fault!

"Now I have done this for you, will you do something for me. I want to
dream away the little time I am likely to have left here in my own way.
Be a merciful Mother Oldershaw, and spare me the worry of looking at
the Ins and Outs, and adding up the chances For and Against, in this new
venture of mine. Think for me, in short, until I am obliged to think for
myself.

"I had better not write any more, or I shall say something savage that
you won't like. I am in one of my tempers to-night. I want a husband to
vex, or a child to beat, or something of that sort. Do you ever like to
see the summer insects kill themselves in the candle? I do, sometimes.
Good-night, Mrs. Jezebel. The longer you can leave me here the better.
The air agrees with me, and I am looking charmingly.

"L. G."

7. _From Mrs. Oldershaw to Miss Gwilt_.

"Thursday.

"MY DEAR LYDIA--Some persons in my situation might be a little offended
at the tone of your last letter. But I am so fondly attached to you! And
when I love a person, it is so very hard, my dear, for that person to
offend me! Don't ride quite so far, and only drink half a tumblerful of
claret next time. I say no more.

"Shall we leave off our fencing-match and come to serious matters now?
How curiously hard it always seems to be for women to understand each
other, especially when they have got their pens in their hands! But
suppose we try.

"Well, then, to begin with: I gather from your letter that you have
wisely decided to try the Thorpe Ambrose experiment, and to secure, if
you can, an excellent position at starting by becoming a member of Major
Milroy's household. If the circumstances turn against you, and some
other woman gets the governess's place (about which I shall have
something more to say presently), you will then have no choice but to
make Mr. Armadale's acquaintance in some other character. In any case,
you will want my assistance; and the first question, therefore, to set
at rest between us is the question of what I am willing to do, and what
I can do, to help you.

"A woman, my dear Lydia, with your appearance, your manners, your
abilities, and your education, can make almost any excursions into
society that she pleases if she only has money in her pocket and a
respectable reference to appeal to in cases of emergency. As t